Thaiss buzzes with three hits for Bees

Smith's Ballpark in Utah is roughly 680 miles to Angel Stadium in Southern California. Matt Thaiss seems to shrink that distance with each passing day.
The No. 7 Angels prospect finished with three hits for the second straight game and reached safely four times as Triple-A Salt Lake edged visiting Las Vegas, 5-4, on Tuesday night. Thaiss walked and swiped two bags during his third three-hit effort in five games.

The 23-year-old's average dip 31 points to .281 during a nine-game stretch from June 28-July 8. He's gone 10-for-22 with three extra-base hits and five RBIs in his last five contests to bring his slash line up to .300/.343/.535 in 45 Triple-A games.
Gameday box score
Thaiss singled to left field in the first inning to help set up Salt Lake's first run on Jared Walsh's RBI single, but was thrown out at home on the play. He walked in the third, singled to center in the fifth and stole third before scoring on Jose Fernandez 's two-run knock. The first baseman singled to center again in the seventh and swiped his second base of the game and third in two days. 
It marked Thaiss' 12th game with three or more hits this season, highlighted by his career-best five-hit performance on June 19 against Colorado Springs. After batting .274/.375/.395 in 133 games with Class A Advanced Inland Empire and Double-A Mobile in 2017, the 16th overall pick in the 2016 Draft was a non-roster invitee to big league Spring Training and has followed up with a breakout season. Thaiss has hit .294/.347/.515 with 46 extra-base hits, 55 runs and 52 RBIs through 85 Double-A and Triple-A games in 2018.
Dustin Ackley and Francisco Arcia drove in a run apiece for the Bees.

Right-hander Osmer Morales allowed three runs on five hits and four walks while striking out two in four innings. Southpaw Greg Mahle (3-2) fanned three over three scoreless frames and righty Ryan Clark earned his fourth save after allowing a run on two hits with two strikeouts in the ninth.
Patrick Kivlehan doubled home two runs and Phillip Evans and Zach Borenstein added two hits apiece for Las Vegas. 
Righty Cody Martin (2-3) was charged with four runs on seven hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.